South Africa launches first harbour-based net recycling hub at Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront

SOUTH AFRICA – Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Dion George, has inaugurated the country’s first harbour-based net recycling hub at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town.

The facility, a containerized “micro-recycling pod” located at Collier Jetty, converts end-of-life fishing nets into high-value raw materials for reuse in the plastics manufacturing industry.

Developed by the OCEAN Action Network (OCEAN) and Ocean Plastic Technologies (OPT), the pilot project represents a first-of-its-kind innovation for the country’s blue economy.

The initiative was supported by the South African Deep-Sea Trawling Industry Association (SADSTIA), with funding from the Marine Stewardship Council’s (MSC) Ocean Stewardship Fund, and facilitated by the V&A Waterfront, which donated the operational site.

“The recycling and repurposing of end-of-life fishing gear provides a glimpse of what a sustainable future can look like,” said Minister George during the launch.

“This is how we build resilience in our blue economy, ensuring that economic activity supports environmental protection.”

The micro-recycling pod, housed in a converted shipping container, is capable of shredding, washing, drying, and densifying up to 100 kilograms of used nets per hour.

The process transforms discarded fishing gear into clean plastic flakes, preventing waste from reaching landfills or the ocean, reducing the threat of ghost fishing gear, and creating new economic opportunities in recycling and material recovery.

OCEAN managing director Estelle van der Merwe emphasized the project’s broader impact, “This is more than just a recycling project. It’s about protecting marine ecosystems, supporting South Africa’s fishing communities, and building a model that can be replicated in other harbours around the country and across the continent.”

SADSTIA executive secretary Johann Augustyn added that the initiative aligns with the MSC Fisheries Standard, noting that “mitigating the impacts of ghost gear is essential for healthy oceans.”

The project supports South Africa’s commitments under the National Environmental Management: Waste Act and contributes to global frameworks such as the UN Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water and the ambitions of the Global Plastic Treaty.

With the recycling pod now fully operational, OPT plans to replicate the model by deploying similar containerized facilities to other South African harbours.

The initiative aims to establish a scalable, circular economy solution for marine plastic waste, while engaging the public and local businesses in sustainable action.

“Our oceans are the lifeblood of South Africa’s environmental and economic future,” Minister George concluded.

“This project shows the power of partnership and innovation, turning waste into opportunity and stewardship into action.”

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